Button making machine



Jul 8, 1941. w. E. KNOTT 2,248,360

BUTTON MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 2/ ff" L I 5INVENTOR.

VVAR/PENEEVO??? BY I l 1 ATTORNEY.

| I I I July 8, 1941. w, KNQTT 2,248,360

BUTTON MAKING MACHINE Filed Oct 9, less 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I"lmlmlllllnn...

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Patented July 8, 1941 BUTTON MAKWG MACHENE Warren E. Knott,Federalsburg, Md, assignor to Excelsior Pearl Works, Inc., New York, N.Y., a

corporation of New York 4 Claims.

This invention relates to button making machines, and particularly tosuch as are known in the trade as Barry automatic facing and drillingmachines.

The objects of the invention are to improve such machine that it mayproduce better buttons; to obtain greater accuracy of drilling thethread-holes in the buttons; to take up wear and still obtain accuratedrilling; to provide for a floating support for the drill bands; tosecure simplicity of construction and operation; and to obtain otheradvantages and results as may be brought out in the followingdescription.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals ofreference indicate similar parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a part of the drill end of a machineembodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the drill bands and associated parts;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of .a certain bracket for mounting anouter end of a drill band;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a certain bracket for mounting themeeting ends of the drill bands; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a certain guide dowel and bracket.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in said drawingsthe reference numeral l0 designates one of a plurality of button holdersthe upper end of each of which receives a button in a horizontalposition. Above each button and button holder is a drill holder I Iwhich continuously rotates to keep a drill I2 carried thereby spinning.Both the button holder and drill holder have at this part of themachine, a simultaneous and continuous orbital revolution, and duringthe same the drill i2 is periodically depressed to pass through thebutton. This action is accomplished by having the upper end of the drillholder riding in contact with depressing cams l3 supported at properposition above the orbital path of the drill holder. A spring M on thedrill holder tends to normally raise the drill and keep the drill holderin contact with the cam.

In order that the drill may make a plurality of properly spaced holes inthe button, for instance four holes evenly spaced as corners of asquare, the drill holder and button holder are axially offset from eachother equal to the offset of one button hole from the center of thebutton. Between each depression of the drill, that is to say, while thedrill is in its upper position, the

, button holder and button ar given a quarter turn. This turning hasheretofore been accomplished by use of kicker studs K engaging notches Nin the circumference of a part L forming a part of the button holder torotate and revolve therewith. For the distance of orbital path of travelof the button holders between the periodic rotation or quarter turnthereof, the button holders have been held from rotating by use ofsquare clocks l5, known as knocker .pulley blocks. secured upon thebutton holder axially centered with respect thereto.

According to the present invention, I provide a pair of drill bands I6,H. for these knocker blocks to successively ride against at their edges.It is a feature of the invention to mount these drill bands so as tobeindependently movable toward and from the orbit of the blocks, and tohave only two blocks riding against each band when the drill isdepressed to contact the button. The inner face of the drill bands is,in general, arcuate upon the orbit of travel of the drill holders, butintermediate the ends of the first is a notch l8, and formed between themeeting ends of the bands is another notch I9 and intermediate the endsof the second band is a third notch 29, As a block rides from the entryend of the first block to the first notch it is held steady by intimatecontact therewith and thus precisely positions the button holder andbutton. As the block reaches the first notch its corner enters the notchand both permits and causes the block to make a quarter turn, acting inconjunction with the kicker stud K and its notchN, so another side edgeof the knocker block then rides upon the arcuate surface of the bandfrom that notch to the notch I9 between the ends of the bands. There theblock again turns and the next face thereof rides against the arcuatesurface of the second band as far as the intermediate notch 20, where itturns again and rides to the exit end of the band. It is during theinterval that two blocks only are riding against a band that the drillsare depressed into engagement with the buttons for making the holestherein. In practice three blocks arrive at the three notches and turnsubstantially at once.

Support of the drill bands is an important feature, especially tomaintain the intimate contact of the bands with the blocks at time ofinception of the holes in the buttons regardless of wear on bands orblocks.

The support for the ends of the drill bands is obtained by a bracket 2|having a split sleeve 22 for mounting it upon a fixed post 23 formingpart of the machine. Said bracket likewise provides a shelf portion 24extending from the sleeve to project beneath a rib 25 directedhorizontally from the band. Upon the shelf portion is attached a braceportion 26 with an upstanding flange 21 between which and rib 25 of theband extends a guide bolt 28 surrounded by a compression spring 29. Thebolt passes through a slot 30 in the upstanding flange, and will limitinward movement of the drill band towards the path of the blocks. Thespring forces the band toward and into intimate contact with the block.A suitable cleat 3| may be secured by bolt 32 upon the shelf in spacedrelation therefrom so as to overlie the rib of the band and hold it insliding engagement therewith and with the shelf.

At the meeting ends of the bands is provided a bracket 33 having asleeve 34 for mounting upon a fixed post 35 forming part of the machine.Said bracket provides a shelf portion 36, in this instance above thesleeve which extends horizontally forward to underlie the ribs of thebands. To the front edge of each rib is attached a bracket 3'! from amid-portion of which depends a guide dowel 38. The forward edge of theshelf portion has a slot 39 cut rearwardly .therein of appropriate sizeto receive said dowel 38 and thereby restrict movement of the bandradially of the holder orbit. This shelf portion likewise has a braceportion 40 attached thereto with an upstanding flange 40' between whichand ribs 25, 25 of the bands extend guide bolts 4| surrounded bycompression springs 42. These bolts pass through a slot 43 in theupstanding flange, and will limit inward movement of the drill bandstoward the path of the blocks. The springs 42 force the bands toward andinto intimate contact with the blocks. Suitable cleats 44, 44 may besecured by bolts 45, 45 upon the shelf in spaced relation therefrom soas to overlie the ribs of the bands and hold them in sliding engagementtherewith and with the shelf.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A machine having knocker blocks carried in an orbital path, of drillbands meeting at ends thereof, means mounting said bands at theirmeeting ends with freedom of movement independent of each other, meansfor guiding the bands in their movement, in a radial direction withrespect to the orbital path of the knocker blocks.

2. A machine having knocker blocks carried in an orbital path, of drillbands meeting at ends thereof, means mounting said bands at theirmeeting ends with freedom of movement independent of each other, meansfor guiding the bands in their movement in a radial direction Withrespect to the orbital path of the knocker blocks, and means forexerting spring pressure on each of said meeting ends substantially inthe same direction in which the band is guided.

3. A machine having knocker blocks carried in an orbital path, guidingmeans in engagement with less than all of said blocks at one time, saidmeans having a floating mounting enabling said means to approach intointimate contact with said blocks, and means for constantly actuatingsaid guiding means into such intimate engagement with blocks contiguousthereto.

4. A machine having knocker blocks carried in an orbital path, of adrill band of a length to engage substantially no more than two blocksat one time, and means actuating the band into intimate contact with theblocks contiguous thereto.

WARREN E. KNOTT.

